Production, possession or sale of drugs is punishable in India and many other countries. This article discusses the various punitive measures that India and various other countries have adopted to put an end to drug menace. The article aims to clarify the meaning of drug possession and trace the evolution of its interpretation in the current form. A significant part of the article is dedicated to discuss the provisions in India, its preconditions and its interpretation through case laws.

Drug possession is the crime of having one or more illegal drugs in one’s possession, either for personal use, distribution, sale or otherwise. In India, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 deals with possession of drugs and its punitive measures.